


Logic can't stop the feelings

by cedarrapidsgirl



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Canonical Character Death, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-12-23
Updated: 2011-12-23
Packaged: 2017-10-27 23:05:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/301028
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cedarrapidsgirl/pseuds/cedarrapidsgirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Spoilers for the Series Finale of <i>Star Trek: Enterprise</i>, titled <i>These Are The Voyages</i>. Canon character death. (Boo.)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Logic can't stop the feelings

**Author's Note:**

> This was written for the starfleet_hq 's "missing scene" fic challenge, [here](http://community.livejournal.com/starfleet_hq/27957.html). There will be spoilers as to what happens in the final episode of _Enterprise_ , from the episode _These Are The Voyages_. So you're warned. Special thanks to Annie for the quickie beta and answering my TnT questions, ( &hearts, hun!) and to Kelly for smiling and nodding and listening to me yap about this when she had no idea what I was talking about!

Dr. Phlox always hated this part of his job. Having to tell loved ones that their beloved is dead, gone from their presence. What made the experience much more difficult was having the deceased be a loved and respected member of the Enterprise crew, and having to tell those survivors the news that would change their lives forever.

The Captain knew already. He had been in the medical bay when the scanners and sensors went crazy, and when they finally made the one long tone a doctor hated to hear the most. Despite all of their best efforts, it still wasn't enough. Commander Trip Tucker was dead. And aside from Commander T'Pol, there was no one else Dr. Phlox would have rather have had with Commander Tucker at his passing than Captain Jonathan Archer.

T'Pol was on the bridge when she got the comm from the Captain to come to sickbay. "Lieutenant, you have the bridge," she spoke to the officer at the security station. As he nodded his assent, T'Pol made her way to the turbolift and down to Medical.

As soon as she walked into sickbay, T'Pol knew something was very wrong. She could feel it in the way Captain Archer and Dr. Phlox looked at her.The Doctor looked nervous, and she could read Jonathan Archer very well. Physically he looked well, baring the bruise under his right eye. But something in his demeanor suggested something was amiss. She waited for someone to speak.

The Captain broke the silence. "Commander, please have a seat." He gestured toward a nearby biobed. Seeing her raise her eyebrows and start to resist, the Captain continued.

T'Pol noticed the serious look that Captain Archer wore, so she gingerly sat down on one of the uncomfortable chairs next to a biobed. She looked up at the Captain and the Doctor, who were both still standing, and she waited.

Finally Captain Archer cleared his throat. "Commander---" He hesitated and tried again. "T'Pol," he went on. "There was a terrible accident today." T'Pol opened her mouth as if to respond, but the Captain raised up his hand to stop her. "It wasn't just my blow to the head, or the incident with the Rigilians, or the explosion on D deck." T'Pol raised her eyebrows in response, but said nothing. The Captain continued. "It's Trip. He's the one that caused the explosion, he did it to kill the aliens, and saved us all. Trip... And I promise you, T'pol, Dr. Phlox did everything he could, but it just wasn't enough. T'Pol-" The Captain paused and their eyes met. "Trip is-" and his voice hitched with emotion as he said the words out loud for the first time. "Trip is dead." He tried to swallow down his emotions as he waited for his first officer's reaction.

T'Pol just stared at the Captain, in shock. Suddenly her mind was reeling with conflicting emotions. She put her head in her hands. Her emotional side was screaming 'No, No, NO!', while her logical side was telling her that Captain Archer would never lie to her about something important, especially when it involved Trip.

Lifting her head out of ther hands, she took a deep breath to compose herself, and then spoke to the Doctor. "What happened?" Phlox looked over at the Captain, who nodded his approval. "Well, Commander, his lungs were seriously damaged. We got him into the biochamber as soon as we could, but..the damage was just too extensive. I"m so very sorry, Commander. I promise you that we did everything we could.

T'Pol nodded, composing herself before she spoke. "I have no doubt that you did, Doctor. Thank you." She sniffled, and accepted the tissue offered to her by the Doctor, and dabbed at her eyes. Another deep breath. "May I see him?"

The Captain nodded his assent, too overwhelmed with his own emotions to speak. She let him help her to her feet, and lead her by the arm to an area of the sickbay with the curtain drawn. The Doctor drew the curtain back and went to the head of the bed, and the Captain lead T'Pol in and stopped at the foot of the bed. Dr. Phlox turned to T'Pol. "I must warn you, Commander, that Commander Tucker received extensive burns to his face, so just so you are aware."

T'Pol swallowed hard again, and moved up to the head of the bed, as Phlox pulled the sheet down. Captain Archer came up with her, supporting her, but stepped away as she got closer. T'Pol was taken aback. Yes, she had been warned as to Trip's physical appearance, but it seen it, to witness the gross disfiguration to his face and she could see more redness, bruises and burns down his shoulders and under the sheet. She put both hands on the edge of the bed, and she could feel the light touch of Captain Archer's hand on her arm, and guided her down to another chair pulled up next to Trip's body. She sat in the chair, dazed.

"T'Pol?" The Captain's voice cut through her musings. "Did you need some time alone?"

"Yes, please. Thank you." T'Pol answered. The Captain and Phlox left quietly, and T'Pol was alone. T'Pol didn't really know what to do. She wanted to talk to him, but logically she knew he couldn't hear her. Aside from the burns, it looked like he was sleeping. Like she should be able to touch his shoulder and he'd wake up, turn to her, smile sleepily, and say 'well, hello there, darlin'. And she'd allow herself a small smile, and say 'hello' back.

But her logical side kicked in again, and of course she knew he wasn't sleeping. His chest was not rising and falling with his breathing. Not breathing. The realization of Trip not breathing made something clench in her chest, and a tear ran down her cheek. She stood up and caressed the undamaged side of his face. While their relationship was often what Trip would call "on again, off again", and was also sometimes tumultuous, there was no denying that there was always the underlying current of attraction, electricity, chemistry that was always there between them. And now it was all over, and they'd never have that again. Suddenly, as much as part of T'Pol wanted to spend a little more time with Trip's body, she also had this overwhelming urge to get out of that small area as soon as possible. She stood quickly, gave him one last kiss on the cheek, and quickly left the curtained area.

The Captain and Dr. Phlox were waiting for her. T'Pol couldn't speak, but just looked at the two men, and let one sob escape from her throat. Captain Archer took a deep breath, and then spoke. "Commander, given the circumstances, you're going to be off duty for the next 48 hours. Understood?" T'Pol nodded. Archer turned to Phlox. "If you or anyone else need me, I'll be in my ready room. I have some calls to make." He turned back to T'Pol. "Can I escort you anywhere, Commander?"

T'Pol finally found her voice. "That would be appreciated, Captain. Just to my quarters, please." As they walked, T'Pol wondered what was next. What should she do? She missed him so much already. When they got to her quarters, Captain Archer stopped. "Are you going to be okay by yourself?" He asked.

T'Pol stepped inside her quarters. "I will be fine, Captain. Eventually." She turned to enter, but then stopped and turned back. She met the Captain's eyes. "You take care of yourself, too, Captain."

Archer smiled. "I will, T'Pol. Take care."

T'Pol just stood in the doorway and watched the Captain leave. Then she went into her quarters to meditate, to try to regain her focus.


End file.
